Many consumers now own a satellite digital radio receiver. Satellite digital radio is a subscription service provided by a service provider to subscribers having a compatible satellite digital radio receiver. A satellite radio system generally includes a broadcasting facility that provides a variety of radio programming to a subscriber device through a pair of geostationary satellites. After the purchase of a satellite digital radio receiver for a vehicle, home or mobile use, a trial subscription period is usually offered so that a customer may assess the satellite radio service, and select a specific station and subscription services.
In order to initiate service to the radio, either for a subscription or trial period, an access code is broadcast to the radio that allows it to access certain subscription service features, such as select stations, for example. A unique cryptographic key is transmitted to the digital radio receiver unit, which enables the digital radio to access various subscription stations and broadcast content. At the expiration of a trial or subscription period, a signal is transmitted from a service center to the digital radio that stops the access privilege. A subscription service customer will typically have no warning prior to the digital radio subscription expiration other than the service agreement documentation or a billing statement. When the access privilege expires, the radio no longer has access to any subscription-level content. Furthermore, even a customer having an automatic billing option set-up to renew the subscription service will suffer an interruption of service until an authorization of payment is received and a new access code is generated and delivered to the radio via the satellite system.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and method for providing subscription service expiration notification at a mobile digital radio that overcomes these and other disadvantages.